The Crazy Wit of Nasruddin Hodja

Nasruddin Hodja (also called Mullah Nasruddin) is a highly popular Turkish folk figure, well-known for his hilarity, wisdom and courage. According to historical documents, he was a scholar who lived in the 13th century in Anatolia (present-day Turkey). Stories about him have been narrated between people for centuries, some for humour and others for conveying a moral lesson.
Despite being so old, the stories have a timeless appeal. In many of them, the Hodja (a title meaning teacher or scholar), through humour, brings the vices that are widespread in society (such as backbiting, stealing and corruption) to the attention of the people. He appears as a witty and philosophical figure, yet also as a fool and the butt of jokes.
Over the centuries, Hodja’s stories spread amongst the tribes of the Turkish world and into Persia, Arabia, Africa, and along the Silk Road to China and India. Of course, most of the tales attributed to the Hodja didn’t actually originate from him – most of them are actually the product of collective humour in various Asian societies and the label ‘Nasruddin’ was given to the most loved character of these stories.
Now you too can go ahead and enjoy some of the best loved tales of the archetypal ‘wise fool’ in this delightful collection.